Companies can do a lot with video advertising online, but allowing a landing page video to get out of hand may be one of the worst misuses, according to industry professional Tim Ash on ClickZ. Attention grabbing video may actually do the exact opposite of engaging a visitor, as it can distract from conversions, so Ash said organizations need to be sure what they are putting on their site will work to bring in viewers instead of turning them off.

Utilizing video is certainly the right thing to do, as Ash said the human brain connects better with it due to it being more closely related to how images are seen in the real world. The right use of online or mobile video ads could work wonders to convert new sales, but the wrong can divert the eye and distract from the main point of the website. The main goal should be to have the visitor watch the video and create a story that will communicate information or teach them about the product or service. Using video as a one-two punch with other information can work wonders for what the business is trying to accomplish.

Having a spokesperson video may have diminishing returns, Ash said, as it has shown to not be as effective with some customers and videos usually do not work as well on mobile devices. Presentation is also key, he said.

"Don't waste precious landing page real estate using an embedded player or YouTube embed widget that takes up half the page," Ash wrote. "Instead, offer a small thumbnail of the video that's easily identifiable, and let the visitor choose to play it."

To be successful, he wrote that businesses should:
- Have good production with clear audio and lighting
- The presentation of the person or people in the video has been carefully considered
- Scripts are professionally written and edited
- There has been extensive testing done to optimize the effectiveness of the video

Content should be integrated
The Content Marketing Institute said it is important for YouTube and Web content to be integrated together, as this will make for more consistent branding and customization across the organization's channels. It's also important to engage with viewers no matter where the video is.

"Engagement is a critical part of earned media that allows brands to engage back, a critical method for driving views and action," the website said.